1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to photographic cameras which, concomitant to photographing a subject, record information on the film, such as the data or the time, the exposure parameters, the orientation (i.e., horizontal or vertical) of the camera, or some other data connected with photographing the subject.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Photographic cameras which can record information in or adjacent a film frame substantially simultaneously with picture taking are well known in the conventional camera art. Typically, in such a camera, a data source is provided for displaying information generally relating to photographing a subject. The data source may be manually or automatically adjusted to change the displayed information. A light source, such as an incandescent lamp or a light emitting diode, which may be part of or separate from the data source, is energized to illuminate the information, usually in response to depressing a shutter release. Some optical means, such as a fiber optic light guide, is provided to form an illuminated image of the information in or adjacent a film frame, to record such information on the unexposed film.
Various types of information may be recorded on the film. For example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,552,283 and 4,183,645, respective indicia are provided to identify whether the camera was disposed horizontally or vertically during picture taking. Other types of information that may be recorded on the film include the picture taking date, as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,085,412 and 4,179,203, the exposure parameters, a unique number which identifies the camera used, as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,767, etc.
An obvious problem that exists in cameras which have a data recording device is that the inclusion of such a device in a camera increases the manufacturing cost and the complexity of the camera. Until my invention, as far as I am aware of the prior art, there has not been a data recording camera in which its data recording means, in addition to being used for data recording purposes, is used to effect some other camera operation, for example initiating the firing of an electronic flash. Such an improvement to a data recording camera lessens its manufacturing cost and its complexity by eliminating otherwise used camera elements for effecting the other camera operation.